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Asymmetric Consumption Smoothing

Author

Listed:
  • Brian Baugh
  • Itzhak Ben-David
  • Hoonsuk Park
  • Jonathan A. Parker
Abstract
Analyzing account-level data from an account aggregator, we find that households increase consumption when they receive (expected) tax refunds, as if they face liquidity constraints. However, these same households smooth consumption when making payments in other years, primarily by transferring funds among liquid accounts. Even households carrying credit card debt smooth consumption when making payments, and even highly-liquid households spend out of refunds. This behavior is inconsistent with pure liquidity constraints or hand-to-mouth behavior and most consistent with a mental accounting life-cycle model.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Baugh & Itzhak Ben-David & Hoonsuk Park & Jonathan A. Parker, 2018. "Asymmetric Consumption Smoothing," NBER Working Papers 25086, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25086
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Jason Allen & Robert Clark & Shaoteng Li & Nicolas Vincent, 2022. "Debt‐relief programs and money left on the table: Evidence from Canada's response to COVID‐19," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 55(S1), pages 9-53, February.
    5. Bernard, René, 2022. "Mental Accounting and the Marginal Propensity to Consume," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264186, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Kovacs, Agnes & Rondinelli, Concetta & Trucchi, Serena, 2021. "Permanent versus transitory income shocks over the business cycle," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    7. Peter Ganong & Pascal Noel, 2019. "Consumer Spending during Unemployment: Positive and Normative Implications," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(7), pages 2383-2424, July.
    8. Nemeczek, Fabian & Radermacher, Jan, 2022. "Personality-augmented MPC: Linking survey and transaction data to explain MPC heterogeneity by Big Five personality traits," SAFE Working Paper Series 348, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    9. Laure Simon, 2023. "Fiscal Stimulus and Skill Accumulation over the Life Cycle," Staff Working Papers 23-9, Bank of Canada.
    10. Timmons, Shane & Robertson, Deirdre & Lunn, Pete, 2022. "Combining nudges and boosts to increase precautionary saving: A large-scale field experiment," Papers WP722, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    11. Bernard, René, 2023. "Mental accounting and the marginal propensity to consume," Discussion Papers 13/2023, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    12. Timothy K. M. Beatty & Joakim A. Weill, 2024. "Social Security and High-Frequency Labor Supply: Evidence from Uber Drivers," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2024-079, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    13. Katya Kartashova & Xiaoqing Zhou, 2020. "How Do Mortgage Rate Resets Affect Consumer Spending and Debt Repayment? Evidence from Canadian Consumers," Staff Working Papers 20-18, Bank of Canada.
    14. Francis Wong, 2024. "Taxing Homeowners Who Won’t Borrow," CESifo Working Paper Series 11185, CESifo.
    15. Vihriälä, Erkki, 2023. "Self-imposed liquidity constraints via voluntary debt repayment," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(2).
    16. Vellekoop, Nathanael, 2018. "Explaining intra-monthly consumption patterns: The timing of income or the timing of consumption commitments?," SAFE Working Paper Series 237, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    17. Daria Pignalosa, 2021. "The Euler Equation Approach: Critical Implications of Recent Developments in the Theory of Intertemporal Choice," Bulletin of Political Economy, Bulletin of Political Economy, vol. 15(1), pages 1-43, June.
    18. Kozo UEDA & Fei Gao, 2024. "How Do Gamblers React to Wins? Evidence from Bank Transaction Data in Japan," CIGS Working Paper Series 24-019E, The Canon Institute for Global Studies.
    19. Thomas F. Crossley & Peter Levell & Sofía Sierra Vásquez, 2024. "What would you do with £500? (...in your own words)," IFS Working Papers W24/38, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    20. Choi, Kyoung Jin & Jeon, Junkee & Koo, Hyeng Keun, 2022. "Intertemporal preference with loss aversion: Consumption and risk-attitude," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    21. Daniel H. Cooper & Giovanni P. Olivei, 2021. "High-Frequency Spending Responses to Government Transfer Payments," Working Papers 21-10, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    22. Silva, Emmanuel Marques & Moreira, Rafael de Lacerda & Bortolon, Patricia Maria, 2023. "Mental Accounting and decision making: a systematic literature review," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 107(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • G4 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household

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